


at the perfect time

by fxbricxtedrexlity



Category: Red Velvet (K-pop Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Mutual Pining, and joy has a Big Fat Crush on seulgi, kindergartenteacher!joy, photographer!seulgi, they havent seen each other since high school
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-13 05:06:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28772808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fxbricxtedrexlity/pseuds/fxbricxtedrexlity
Summary: ::"I work here," her voice cracks and she wonders if the heat on her cheeks is enough to fog the mirrors. "As a teacher. Started this summer.""Of course," Seulgi sighs, leaning a hip against the row of sinks, the lighting inside the washroom looking like an Instagram filter made just for her--not washing anything away but enough to accentuate every sharp angle and soft curves of her smile. ", you've always been good with kids."The fact that she remembers hits Sooyoung harder than she expected, breath stuttering a bit, and she can just imagine what she must look like right now. A little awed and her childhood crush rushing back vividly like they just didn't spend the last decade with no contact.::joygi. teacher!sooyoung and photographer!seulgi. seulgi happened to be booked for an event at her old kindergarten. she reunites with park sooyoung, her favorite junior from high school. seulgi first came for a job, which turned into three, and then she keeps coming back for an entirely different reason.
Relationships: Kang Seulgi/Park Sooyoung | Joy
Comments: 2
Kudos: 37





	at the perfect time

**Author's Note:**

>   
> a tad bit of warning before you proceed :)  
> this fic contains explicit sexual content  
> if some of the warnings put you off, please press the back button now :)  
> relationship between red velvet's joy and seulgi  
> i respect each and every one of the characters and real people i used in this fic
> 
> i guess that’s all, please enjoy :)  
> 

**::**

_at the perfect time_

**::**

this story is for **mintforRV**

**::**

_better, anyone could see, girl_

_that you are so so much_

_oh so much better_

_baby, you’re better_

_than my favorite song on the radio_

_at the perfect time_

_better; jeremy passion_

**::**

_joygi. teacher!sooyoung and photographer!seulgi. seulgi happened to be booked for an event at her old kindergarten. she reunites with park sooyoung, her favorite junior from high school. seulgi first came for a job, which turned into three, and then she keeps coming back for an entirely different reason._

**::**

Sooyoung, embarrassingly, has fantasized about this reunion more times than she has fingers. Not recently, but. It certainly kept middle-school-Sooyoung awake for a whole summer after a certain senior of hers graduated.

“Seulgi-unnie?”

The woman in front of the sinks jumps, startled, looking as nervous as she was.

“Sooyoung?” Her gaze jumps between Sooyoung’s eyes, her face morphing into realization, and _yup_ , it’s Kang Seulgi. Sooyoung will remember that eye-smile even if it’s buried among a thousand others. There’s just something _magical_ when Seulgi smiles like that and it’s directed at you.

Like the perfect spotlight at the height of a performer’s glory— giving you confidence, making your spine straighten, making you feel like you can do _anything_.

(And for Seulgi, Sooyoung will do anything. Even if it has been years since they last saw each other.

But right now, that’s not the point.

The point is: what is Seulgi doing here?)

“Look at you,” Seulgi gushes, sheepishly wiping her palms at the front of her trousers before launching at Sooyoung with a warm hug, familiar and soft. She pulls back, hands firm on Sooyoung’s biceps, looking at her up and down. She crinkles her nose at the height difference. “, we both knew you’d outgrow me, anyway.”

And Sooyoung— 

She kind of can’t breathe.

Seulgi’s here, in front of her. Seulgi’s looking at her, close enough that Sooyoung can see the fine line of her contacts. She’s short on breath, lightheaded from the unmistakable scent of spicy ginger and citrus cologne on Seulgi, heart-pounding away so hard she’s worried it might be breaking her ribs a little.

Seulgi pulls her in for another hug, doesn’t say anything when Sooyoung seems to _melt_ against her, hands softly fisted—Sooyoung noticed the older woman’s wearing a semi-formal outfit, she doesn’t want to cause wrinkles no matter how hard she wants to hold Seulgi—against the back of her coat.

Sooyoung’s the one who pulls back because she’s an adult now and jeez, she will _not_ cry.

“Unnie, hi,” she starts, can’t help but mirror Seulgi’s warm warm warm smile. “, what’re you doing here?”

Here as in a kindergarten. Here as in the place Sooyoung’s been working for the past month and a half, hired during the summer. Here as in front of her, a camera unmistakable on her right shoulder, and face aged but somehow still the same.

_Oh, god, please tell me she’s not here because of her kid and that she’s going to take photos and that she’s happily married and that—there’s no ring._

Sooyoung stares at a ring finger. _No ring, no ring, no ring_.

“I got hired for today. I’m a photographer,” she’s still smiling and Sooyoung’s stuck on the thought that she’s not here because she has kids nor happily married. “Crazy because this was my kindergarten. What are _you_ doing here?”

“I work here,” her voice cracks and she wonders if the heat on her cheeks is enough to fog the mirrors. “As a teacher. Started this summer.”

“Of course,” Seulgi sighs, leaning a hip against the row of sinks, the lightning inside the washroom looking like an Instagram filter made just for her—not washing anything away but enough to accentuate every sharp angle and soft curves of her smile. “, you’ve always been good with kids.”

The fact that she remembers hits Sooyoung harder than she expected, breath stuttering a bit, and she can just imagine what she must look like right now. A little awed and her childhood crush rushing back vividly like they just didn’t spend the last decade with no contact.

The door opens before Sooyoung can say anything.

“Sooyoung-seonsaengnim? Are you—there you are,” Principal Hwang pokes her head inside, the unmistakable sound of the other teachers moving along in the hallway. “We’re getting ready to greet the parents once the gates open.”

“Yes, ma’am, I’ll be there.”

The older woman nods, smiling at Seulgi once, and the door shuts behind her.

Sooyoung smooths out the skirt of her dress, an apology crinkled on her brows. “Sorry, I need to,” she jambs a thumb behind her, feeling like she’s in high school again.

“No, no, it’s alright. I need to make sure everything’s set up, too.” It sinks in slowly for Sooyoung, too caught up in Seulgi’s present to realize that the older woman will be taking _pictures_. Near her. All morning.

She’s been inching away towards the door, wants to get out for a moment to regain her bearings because Sooyoung most definitely does _not_ act like this. She doesn’t fumble for words, usually the one leaving people breathless and stuttering.

She stops when Seulgi calls for her again.

“Yes?”

“See you out there.”

Sooyoung smiles. It feels much better this time, now that the door’s open, Seulgi’s cologne is not all up in her head and messing her mind.

“See you, unnie.”

**::**

It’s harder to tear her attention away from Sooyoung than Seulgi anticipated.

She goes through the motions of taking pictures and coordinating with two of the tech interns she brought with her, fixing lighting and making sure their wirings aren’t in the way of parents and kids. She does her work, knowing it’s coming out nicely, but after she takes her eyes out of the viewfinder, she seeks Sooyoung out in the crowd.

A decade. They haven’t seen each other in a decade.

And Sooyoung still affects people where if she’s in the same room, you just feel an invisible pull.

Sooyoung seems to be in the middle of pointing directions to a parent with a crying kid on her hip when Seulgi feels a stare at the side of her head.

A boy is standing shyly next to her, eyes wide as he looks at her camera.

“Hello,” she looks toward the sea of parents and no one seems to be looking for this boy. Seulgi squats, raising her camera in the space between them. “, would you like to help me take pictures?”

“Yes, please,” he nods, enthusiastic but careful when Seulgi drapes the strap around his neck. Seulgi keeps an eye out in case a parent fetches him, one hand under her camera for support. “How do I take pictures?”

He couldn’t be over five, tongue still wrapping around unfamiliar words clumsily. Small, chubby fingers follow Seulgi’s bigger hand when she tells him where he should hold it and where to put his eye. The picture is mostly of shoes, the bottom of chairs, and the floor.

“Oh, wow,” she gives him a big grin. “How about you take some of the kids there?”

She can tell he’s having a blast, always looking up at her for approval when after every picture, and when Seulgi looks up to make sure she’s not missing anything important to capture, Sooyoung’s already looking at her.

“Sunbae,” one of their interns looks at her camera precariously perched on the boy’s fingers despite Seulgi’s support, eyeing it with worry before shifting his attention to Seulgi. “, we have the pictures we need. They said we can edit it in the IT’s room so they can upload it as soon as possible.”

Seulgi frowns a bit, harshly reminded that she’s here for a job.

“Right, fold up the lights. We’ll pick everything up when we’re done.” He slinks away towards the other intern, packing up. Seulgi turns to the young boy who gingerly takes the strap off of his neck, shuffling by his feet shyly.

“Thank you for letting me take pictures, miss.”

“You’re welcome,” she ruffles his hair a bit, melting a little bit at the bright smile he gives her. God, she can’t imagine how much self-control Sooyoung must have to resist the urge to pinch kids' cheeks when they’re being this cute. “What’s your name?”

“Hwang Yujun.”

They shake hands. “Nice to meet you, I’m Kang Seulgi.”

He bounds back towards the seats somewhere at the front. Seulgi straightens out her trousers, dusting the knees off lightly and snaking the strap of the camera around her forearm. Sooyoung’s not looking at her anymore, talking with two other teachers, and Seulgi leaves the auditorium.

She wonders, all while editing the photos, if she’ll be able to talk to Sooyoung before the day ends.

The thought eats her. After years of no contact—technology back then isn’t as prevalent as it is today and Seulgi’s already having a hard time keeping up with the two social media accounts she owns—Seulgi’s vividly reminded of their old friendship despite her being two years older than Sooyoung, remembers the easy connection she had with Sooyoung back then and despite their rather stiff and awkward reunion at the washroom earlier with Sooyoung barely talking to her, maybe they can be friends again.

**::**

Her feet are aching by the time she’s making her way through the parking lot. Sooyoung opted for barely-there heels, wanting to look her best for the first day, and after weeks of wearing flats around the other teachers during the summer, her soles have already gone soft.

Her car keys are in her hand, head ducked as she tries to find her phone at the bottom of her handbag when a voice startles her all the way down to the other side of the parking lot.

“Sooyoung!”

It’s Seulgi, waving her arms comically in the air by a large van. Sooyoung waves back with the hand with her car keys, continuing towards her car while watching Seulgi talk to the two men with her who stopped loading equipment in their large van to see who Seulgi was waving to, then the older woman’s jogging across the lot and towards her.

“Unnie,” Sooyoung greets just after she sets her bag in the passenger seat. “, hi.”

“It was really nice seeing you again today,” Seulgi’s a little out of breath, her coat gone and the sleeves of her button-down rolled upwards, no doubt helping with loading the heavy equipment. Something about the image makes Sooyoung warm. “I was wondering if you’d like to have coffee sometime? Catch up?”

“Oh,” Sooyoung says stupidly, brain short-circuiting because _what the fuck?_

She must have a bad facial expression because Seulgi’s smile falters a bit, and Sooyoung wants to kick herself because _okay, you need to get your shit together_. No matter how Seulgi seemingly reverts her back to her younger years effortlessly.

“If it’s not much trouble, I—“

“No, no, coffee’s fine,” Sooyoung clears her throat, wanting to push down her silly old crush back down the recesses of her heart because it’s just _coffee_. They’re old friends. It’s normal for old friends to want to catch up. “Coffee’s great.”

“Great,” Seulgi echoes, smiling at her for a moment, before stepping backward. “I’d love to stay more but we have to report back to our boss before the day ends.”

Sooyoung waves her off. “It’s fine. Have a safe drive home, unnie.”

_Normal response. Good one, Sooyoung. Get your head together._

That damned eye-smile again. “You too.”

**::**

She’s stupid.

Seulgi resists the urge to bang her head against her desk, staring at a photo she’s been color correcting for the past hour.

It was a slow day at work and with their boss ordering a ton of chicken for the office to feast on for lunch, everyone’s got their pants unbuttoned with how full they are, sluggish, and just wanting to nap after a good meal.

The slowness has affected her and Seulgi’s mind wanders as she sips on a new coffee to keep herself awake despite her co-workers dozing off lightly in their own desks. Her mind replayed yesterday, her meeting with Sooyoung.

And then the realization sinks in that after asking Sooyoung to catch up, Seulgi doesn’t have her number.

It’s weird if she just pops by the kindergarten, so Seulgi files that one for the last resort option.

She tries Facebook, head swimming at the thousands of _Park Sooyoung_ that pops up. She tries Instagram but her few hundred mutuals are mostly from college or work. Seulgi feels like she’s forgetting something, like there’s a specific person she could ask but thinking is only making her drowsy.

“Oh my god,” she groans, head against her palms.

“Should I ask?”

Seulgi straightens her spine, her boss is smirking down at her, amused.

“It’s nothing,” Seulgi waves off, resisting the urge to spill what happened. Maybe they can talk it over drinks after work. Byulyi has always loved a good story, anyway.

“Okay, well, we’ll talk about it later but for now, I want to say congrats.”

Seulgi perks up. “What for?”

“I don’t know what you did yesterday but the Principal called.” Byulyi’s hand is heavy on her back as she pats her, jolting Seulgi’s lungs. “Booked you next weekend for a kid’s birthday party.”

Said kid turns out to be Hwang Yujun, son of the principal.

Seulgi coordinated with the principal about the where and what to expect during the following days. She gushed about how Yujun wouldn’t shut up about her and photography recently, asking Seulgi’s opinion on which camera is best suited for an almost-six-year-old kid as a present.

It settles something warm in Seulgi’s chest.

The party is themed with a kids show she isn’t familiar with, taking pictures around the event as the guests trickle in armed with presents and kids bouncing off of their socks with the number of bright colors and balloons.

And surprise, surprise—who’s also on the guest list?

Sooyoung’s wearing a modest dress, holding a small purse and a birthday gift. She greets other people huddled together who Seulgi deduced are fellow teachers, walking towards the table where they leave the gifts before making a beeline for the boy with a flower crown on his head.

Seulgi follows. It’s her job to take photos.

She blends into the crowd, snapping shots of the gathering and accepting the juice from Principal Hwang’s wife. Sooyoung spots her then.

Sooyoung’s laughing, shaking her head in disbelief. “Fancy seeing you here.”

She looks more relaxed than last time, somehow standing out in the crowd despite wearing the same vibe, and Seulgi can’t help when she quickly snaps a picture of Sooyoung.

“I’m here for a job but Miss Hwang’s wife seems adamant on making me put my camera down,” Seulgi makes a point by leaving her camera by her hip, sipping her drink.

Sooyoung crinkles her nose. “Yeah, Tiffany-unnie does that to people.”

“You’re close with them?”

Biting her lip, Sooyoung takes Seulgi by the elbow to steer her to the side. “Yeah, I’m one of Yujun’s honorary godmother, actually. The principal, Taeyeon-unnie, is a family friend of mine but I don’t really throw that info away much.”

The secretive tilt of Sooyoung’s eyebrow spells everything out. She doesn’t want people to think she got her job because of their relationship.

Seulgi shrugs, feeling the same. “My boss was my sunbae in university.”

Yujun’s true godmother, the party’s host, gets everyone’s attention that the singing of happy birthday will start soon. Seulgi raises her camera in lieu of an apology and Sooyoung shoos her with a promise that she’ll be with the other teachers.

This time, when Seulgi’s walking Sooyoung towards her car parked a block away, she asks for her number properly.

“I realized I asked you to catch up with no way of knowing how to contact you.”

Sooyoung laughs, types her number in Seulgi’s phone and Seulgi texts her with an emoji so Sooyoung can save hers and they can avoid the _she didn’t text me_ awkwardness.

They agree to meet at a cafe of Seulgi’s choice the next weekend.

It was a good day.

**::**

Seulgi barely sat down when Sooyoung arrived.

They ordered their drinks, jumping back at old memories from high school, heads almost knocking over the middle of the table from how close they’ve been leaning in.

“I was a little shit,” Sooyoung laughs softly, sticking her tongue out when Seulgi points out her whipped cream mustache. “I can’t believe I did that.”

Seulgi nods, agreeing. “You always insisted on _fresh, hot gossip_ while there’s hardly any in our school.”

Sooyoung used to follow Seulgi around in high school, convinced that Seulgi’s cool for being the first one to take down notes and photograph the latest happening in their school for the paper. She never lost hope that one day, a juicy gossip will happen in their school and she’ll be the first to know. Or second, since Seulgi’s most likely the first.

The spiciest gossip they had was a freshman vandalizing, though. It was an uneventful school but that’s how they became friends, anyway.

“Who was the other one that was with you on the paper? The writer?”

“Oh!” Seulgi points behind her, the direction of the cafe’s kitchen. “That was Seungwan. She owns this place, actually. And she usually bakes.”

Sooyoung leans back in her chair, eyes wide. “Such a small world, oh my god.”

“I know, right?”

Seulgi sees some things with Sooyoung that never changed, intermingled with the woman she grew up to be. It’s a humbling experience and as the hours go on, she’s at the edge of her seat, wanting to learn more about Sooyoung.

“I should get going,” Sooyoung blinks at the time, apologizing. “I took a cab.”

“I’ll drive you,” Seulgi offers, insisting when Sooyoung starts shaking her head. “Please? I invited you out, the least I could do is make sure you get home safely.”

“Unnie, you literally paid for my drink and cookies.”

“So? We shared the plate!”

Sooyoung rolls her eyes but concedes, muttering an _I’ll pay next time_ when she passes Seulgi on the way to the exit.

Something flutters in Seulgi’s belly.

_Next time_.

Sooyoung’s apartment is easy to drive to, close to the main road and Seulgi points out that it’s not that far out of her way home.

“It’s just, like, ten steps,” Sooyoung snorts, this time refusing Seulgi’s offer to walk her to her door. “And this is a no-parking street.”

Seulgi raises her hands up in surrender but opens her arms a few moments afterward. Sooyoung leans in with a quirk of her mouth, accepting the hug. It’s awkward to navigate through with the center console in the way but they make it work. Sooyoung melts in her arms a little bit, like she’s holding herself back from fully sagging against Seulgi, and Seulgi makes a note to hug Sooyoung properly in the future.

“Have a good night, unnie,” Sooyoung whispers, slowly getting out of the passenger side.

Seulgi smiles, nodding. “You too.”

**::**

“Do I wanna know?” Byulyi tells her in the office two weeks later, passing a folder to Seulgi. A new booking for the next month. “Field trip this time. You’re booked for the whole day.”

She’s going solo this time, a casual shoot just to have something up on the kindergarten’s website.

The first time, Seulgi thinks it’s just coincidence. The second time, it’s because she was kind to a kid. But a third time? Maybe someone’s trying to tell her something.

Seulgi hasn’t seen Sooyoung after they went out for coffee since Seulgi had to go overseas for a huge project and when she got back, the school year’s already picked up for Sooyoung. It was hard to arrange something when Sooyoung had class plans to make and Seulgi’s coworker had a baby so she picked up her projects.

Their works had kept them busy but Seulgi makes sure to send Sooyoung funny videos she binges watches when she’s taking a break from editing photos and Sooyoung keeps sending her photos of her neighbor’s dog, Maxwell, who knows how to open doors and always waits for Sooyoung to pat his head when she goes to work in the morning.

When she shows up at the kindergarten a month later, purposefully withholding the information from Sooyoung, all she gets is an amused shake of her head and _of course it’s you_.

And Seulgi was not prepared for the sight of Sooyoung with _kids_.

Anyone with eyes can tell that she genuinely adores them, fussing over her class like a mother duck, making sure everyone has their sunscreen and a whistle they can blow if they ever got lost inside the zoo.

Seulgi makes sure to keep her distance, awed just to watch from a distance and through a lens.

Sooyoung waves her down to sit beside her during lunch when the kids have settled down with their sandwiches. She hands Seulgi one. She even reaches over to drape napkins over Seulgi’s lap and blushes when she realizes what she’s doing.

“Sorry,” Sooyoung mumbles, poking the straws in their juice pouches.

“Not, it’s alright,” Seulgi hums at the taste of the sandwich. “It’s nice. That you care for them so much.”

“I just, we grew close despite it being just a month and a half.” She keeps an eye out on the children, relaxing beside Seulgi. “And I don’t want anything bad to happen to them. It doesn’t hurt to be prepared.”

And Seulgi melts a little bit, nodding, and lets their shoulders brush, leaning a little bit closer to each other.

**::**

The warmth of her shower’s still clinging on her skin when Seulgi gets a cold beer from her fridge, setting it down by her laptop. She spent the whole day outside and even got wrangled in playing tag with the kids after lunch yet despite that, she feels strangely energized. Her drink fizzes and she drinks the bubbles rising to the edge of the can.

Seulgi, despite having a shortlist of people she dated, isn’t a stranger to romance.

When she opens the folder from today’s field trip straight from her camera, she knows she’s starting to feel something for Sooyoung that is past the _I want to get to know her because we were friends once_. Half of today’s photos are of the younger woman. Her smiling, with kids, talking to her colleague.

There’s a photo with Sooyoung looking particularly beautiful, hair up in a quick bun, the sway of her clothes caught mid-turn, and her eyes are swallowed in two curved lines, smiling brightly as kids run past her.

Something grows inside Seulgi, a feeling she’s starting to associate with anything Sooyoung-related.

She texts her.

**_Seulgi [9:56 PM]_ **

_Hey, sorry if I’m texting late but_

_Do you want to get dinner tomorrow?_

**_Sooyoung [9:58 PM]_ **

_It’s not that late, unnie :P_

_And sure :)_

Despite leaning heavily against her couch, warmth on her cheeks, and the smile on her lips tug up up _up_.

Seulgi soars.

**::**

Really, there’s no drastic shift after Seulgi’s little realization.

After that night, she starts comparing adult-Sooyoung to high school-Sooyoung less and starts blending them and, well. It’s like a new color created perfectly for a canvas. Seulgi feels like she was wearing sunshades before because _wow_ , she didn’t think it’d be possible to be more enamored by the younger woman.

Seulgi keeps realizing a lot and she’s falling fast and _oh my god, I really like her._

She’s actually not surprised if she already had a crush on Sooyoung in high school but was just swept under the rug due to her lack of awareness of her own sexuality. Seulgi’s always noticed Sooyoung, saw what others saw, and she was always a little bit happy every time Sooyoung doesn’t spare anyone else a second glance and hangs out with her as she gallivants around their campus with her camera and half-baked dad jokes.

Dinner was easy, if not a little stilted on Seulgi’s part of trying her best not to stare too much at Sooyoung. Logically, she knows that there’s no drastic change in the younger woman’s appearance since yesterday but she can’t help it.

Not when Sooyoung looks so adorable with a bow in her hair and paint splatters like freckles on her exposed arms when she took off her coat.

“It was painting day earlier. The kids went a little crazy with their creativity.” She explains when she catches Seulgi staring.

Seulgi grips the ketchup tightly, resisting the urge to reach over because Sooyoung also has a speck of paint behind her hair when she pulls her hair up. She ends up with a little bit more ketchup on her burger but she’s not complaining when Sooyoung wipes it off of the corner of her lips later with a napkin and a fond shake of her head.

So, maybe, their meals together get a little bit more frequent after that.

They agree for dinner when they can, exchanging stories about their day and Seulgi tries her best to be a little bit cool and mature but when it comes to Sooyoung, she’s reduced to giggles and tripping on air.

Lunch, however, was new.

Sooyoung was the one who suggested it and Seulgi’s eager to drive thirty minutes through the lunch rush. It’s a Saturday and despite it being a no-class day, she has to come in for a faculty meeting.

Seulgi comes in her empty classroom, her wire-rimmed glasses Sooyoung only saw her wear a handful of times—Seulgi told her she wears them after staying up late the night before, eyes getting irritated when she wears contacts—askew on top of her scrunched up nose. There’s a thick strap across her chest and when she tugs on it, Sooyoung holds in a dreamy sigh because _god_ , it’s one of those lunch boxes that look and _is_ expensive with the thick insulation inside and— 

“Did you cook?”

There’s a cute blush on the older woman’s cheeks, high on her round cheeks. “Yeah,” she agrees, taking out containers one by one and Sooyoung hums appreciatively when it’s still warm. “I brushed up on my Sooyoung-knowledge. Everything here should be good for you.”

And Sooyoung— 

She’s not blind, okay?

She’s got a ginormous crush on Seulgi back then and with how the older woman is adamant— _really_ adamant in them spending time together, she feels like she’s in high school all over again, fawning over an oblivious Seulgi but now— 

Now, the hope that bubbles in her chest don’t feel as far fetched as it seemed back then. Now, it really does seem like there is a chance.

Sooyoung feels giddy, bites her lip as Seulgi spreads everything on the desk in front of them and hands her utensils with an adorable fix of her glasses, like a distraction, like spending a few extra seconds near Sooyoung’s hand will make her reach out.

And Sooyoung wants her to.

They eat and when Sooyoung lingers in their hug before Seulgi goes back to her office, she makes sure to curl her pinky with Seulgi’s no matter how brief.

It’s worth the blinding smile she gets.

**::**

“So,” Sooyoung breathes out, the familiar shape of the little bear on Seulgi’s seat belt cover settling against her chest as they pull away softly from the curb. “, where to tonight?”

Seulgi steps on the brakes a little too harsh at a red light, nothing alarming, but enough for Sooyoung to cast a worried glance. Seulgi smiles, a little shaky at the corners, wipes her palms against her thighs and Sooyoung can see the imprint of her hand on the steering wheel.

She’s nervous.

“The golf course, actually,” her voice cracks, and even under the dimness at the end of a sunset, Sooyoung can see the red on her cheeks. “I, uh, there’s a restaurant there and you can play mini-golf.” She’s biting her lip, Sooyoung holding on to the seat belt with both hands to keep her from reaching out and kissing Seulgi. “If that’s alright?”

Sooyoung can’t hold it in, reaches over until her palm warms the fabric of Seulgi’s knees, needing the connection. “It sounds perfect.”

When Seulgi said dinner and mini-golf, this isn’t what Sooyoung expected.

First of all, there are _candles_. Not the decoration ones but actually lit candles with a soft floral scent and that with the glow of string lights strung over the trees above the outside restaurant makes for a soft atmosphere. Undeniably romantic.

Second, the flowers.

“For you,” Seulgi fights the stutter, nervous from the tip of her toes to the ends of her hair. The wrapping crinkles in her hands a bit and remembering how clammy her hands have been on the drive over, Seulgi’s mildly worried she’s destroying the arrangement altogether.

But Sooyoung takes the bouquet, gingerly caressing petals and when she smells them, she’s staring at Seulgi, candlelight twinkling and reflecting from her eyes until it looks like she has stars in her stare.

“Thank you, these are beautiful.”

It was _perfect_.

The night wasn’t chilly but also not humid. The food isn’t ridiculously plated and actually tastes better than the price. The moment both of them had a glass of wine in their systems, Seulgi loosens up, slouching on her seat as she groans through an embarrassing work tale.

They take on mini-golf while waiting for dessert, not wanting to finish the day just yet, and Sooyoung blames it on the wine when she plays terribly.

She’s holding their bowl of shared ice cream brownies, cheering Seulgi in between spoonfuls despite the older woman not knowing how to play the game, when the vocalist from the live band playing calls out.

“The next song is requested by Seulgi for her date,” he sweeps a gesture over a stunned Sooyoung, ice cream melting inside her mouth, numbing her tongue. Someone in the crowd whoops, an elderly couple raises their glasses in her direction, and the start of a smooth guitar rings out the speakers.

When she turns back to Seulgi, she’s much closer than before, nervous but jaw set, determined.

“Hi,” Seulgi lamely says, wanting to facepalm but reels it in.

Sooyoung, bless her, is still busy being shy. “Hi,” she parrots back, the dessert in between them, cold on her palms.

The chorus of the song builds and when Seulgi takes in a breath, Sooyoung has half a mind to wonder if she’ll sing along but she doesn’t.

Instead, Seulgi says: “I really like you.” It’s clear that she’s still nervous but also decidedly serious that Sooyoung has to lean against the back of her chair for support, feeling her knees weaken. “A lot.”

“I _really_ ,” Sooyoung sighs, thrilled when Seulgi’s stare drops on her lips as she speaks. “, really like you too.”

And there it is, her smile.

Seulgi’s looking at her, only her. “So it’s safe to say that this was a date?”

Sooyoung hums. “Yes, but you can ask me out properly next time, too.”

A dopey grin. “Next time? I get a second date?”

“First,” Sooyoung corrects, doesn’t know why she’s insisting. “These are like, pre-dates. Like appetizers.”

Seulgi nods along like she completely understands Sooyoung’s words. “And the next date will be the main course.”

“Yes,” Sooyoung reaches over, tracing the edges of Seulgi’s shirt collar, tugging her in softly. “And if you do well, we can talk about dessert, too.”

Seulgi kisses the smirk off her lips, tasting like wine and a promise.

**::**

Sooyoung’s kissing her at a red light on the drive home, stretching the seat belt horribly just to feel Seulgi’s smile on her lips and she whines when a car honks at them.

“So,” Seulgi drawls, both hands on the wheel as she turns but seeks for Sooyoung’s hand after. “, just so we’re clear, can I call you my girlfriend now?”

Sooyoung presses a kiss against her knuckles. “Only if I get to call you mine.”

Seulgi grins, eyes disappearing as she casts Sooyoung a glance. “Deal.”

**::**

It shouldn’t be this hard but Sooyoung can’t focus.

She’s frustrated by the second hour of getting nothing done, calling her girlfriend on the verge of tears and Seulgi promises a back rub and take out from the kebab place they discovered two weeks ago.

When they clear up the plates, Seulgi pushes Sooyoung towards the couch.

“Put on some music? I’ll take care of the leftovers.”

Sooyoung nods, silent, and when she finishes putting on a random R&B record from the 40s, her girlfriend’s looking over the scattered papers all over the low table in her living room.

“I’ll clean that up,” she murmurs, tears prickling at the back of her eyes.

Seulgi notices the sadness in Sooyoung’s voice and it doesn’t take a genius to catch why she’s upset. She pats the space on the couch, opening her arms wide and Sooyoung melts against her in no time, fitting herself under Seulgi’s chin.

“It’s already that time of the school year, huh?”

Sooyoung doesn’t answer for a while and Seulgi doesn’t rush her, plays with the end of her girlfriend’s hair against the expanse of her back, catching them and tugging slightly until the tension in Sooyoung’s bones evaporates a little bit more.

“It seems like yesterday I was just decorating the classroom for the first day,” her gaze is fixed on the stack of papers in front of them. Her student’s last exam for the school year. “And now all that’s left is their graduation.”

A kiss is pressed against her temple, Seulgi’s slightly chapped lips not leaving her skin as she speaks.

“I’ll make coffee or tea then I’ll help grade and then we can cuddle all night, how’s that sound?”

“Tea, please,” she sighs, presses a thankful kiss against the strength of Seulgi’s collarbone.

It’s inevitable, Sooyoung was already emotional for the past few days and she really needs this done in time for the last encoding. Seulgi carefully gets up, watching as Sooyoung heaves a sigh and starts picking up a paper and her red pen.

They both know she won’t really let Seulgi grade anything but Sooyoung needs the company and Seulgi will get to spend time with her girlfriend. It’s a win-win situation.

Time passes slowly, Sooyoung goes through the task faster than Seulgi expected and when she notices the younger woman’s down to a couple left, she scoots from her position on the couch. Sooyoung wordlessly adjusts until she’s sitting in between the photographer’s legs, still deep in her work, Seulgi wrapping her arms around her girlfriend’s waist, hands slipping under the soft shirt.

“What are you doing?”

Fingers trail over the soft rolls of where Sooyoung’s stomach folds, and she starts pressing soft kisses against the exposed skin of Sooyoung’s nape, Seulgi smiling when stray wisps of hair that escaped a bun tickle her nose.

“Nothing,” she replies, delights at the stutter of Sooyoung’s breath when she starts kissing the skin properly.

“Let me finish this first then we’ll go to bed,” Sooyoung bargains, her breathing’s already faster than moments before, hating the shudder that runs through her body when Seulgi chuckles lowly and licks a wet stripe against the side of her neck.

She gets up, smiling down at Sooyoung. “Don’t make me wait too long.”

As much as Sooyoung wants to half-ass the last three papers in favor of stripping naked faster, she doesn’t. She makes sure she marks everything correctly, checks the kitchen sink because it leaks when not properly turned off all the way, turns out the lights except the one by the door, and by the time she’s shutting the bedroom door, Seulgi’s looking at her unimpressed, propped up by the headboard, and already stripped down to her boy shorts and the large button-down she was wearing earlier.

Perfect.

Sooyoung puts on a show.

She takes off her accessories first, unlatching her necklace before taking off her earrings. The vanity mirror in front of her means she has her back to the bed but it’s also the perfect vantage point to see Seulgi clench the sheets, silent as she watches.

Next is her dress. Its zip is by the side, perfect, and she unravels slowly, noticing Seulgi’s eyes tracking the expanse of skin exposed, goosebumps rising against the slightly cool bedroom air.

It’s when she’s shaking her hair out of the quick bun she tossed it in that Seulgi snaps.

“Enough,” her voice is firm, no longer leaning back against the pillows, muscles tensing as she props herself up on her elbows. “Come here.”

Sooyoung goes.

She sits on top of Seulgi’s thighs, shuddering as hot palms waste no time in holding her firmly by the meat of her thighs, tugging her forward until she’s got her legs spread lewdly, the growing wet patch on the fabric of her underwear undoubtedly pressing against her girlfriend’s flexing abdomen.

A hand trails upwards, curling at the base of her neck, and Sooyoung’s pliant, unresisting, when Seulgi pulls her downward for a searing kiss.

Hot tongue presses inside of her mouth insistently, the perfect mix of dirty and passionate. Seulgi kisses her hard, not enough to bruise, but it tingles the skin of her lips, pleasure wracking her whole body and she’s got no choice but to buck forward.

One thing she learned early in their relationship is that Seulgi never does anything in halves.

She kisses Sooyoung until she’s leaking through her underwear, the force of it unrelenting. When Sooyoung pulls away to breathe, she laves at the soft skin of a delicate neck, careful to never leave marks above where it can’t be hidden but daring enough that it’s always near the collar of her clothes.

Just one slip and everyone can see that she’s Seulgi’s.

“Unnie,” she moans out, breathing ragged. “, can I?”

She’s not asking for anything specific, Seulgi knows this. She gets a chaste kiss against her lips before Seulgi pats her thighs twice, a silent question to lift herself up as she gets situated.

“Want this tonight,” Seulgi looks at her with hooded eyes, voice gruff, lying in the middle of the bed and Sooyoung knows _what_ it is.

She shivers, quickly taking off her ruined underwear and bra. It should be awkward, her waddling on her knees as she holds onto the headboard for support, swinging a leg over Seulgi’s neck, cunt just above the other woman to observe, but with Seulgi, it never is. No matter how silly Sooyoung feels, Seulgi looks at her like she’s at her most attractive moment.

Her eyes never leave the trail of wetness smeared against the inside of her thighs and when Seulgi feels that Sooyoung’s done adjusting on her knees and grip, she cranes her neck upwards for a taste.

Someone moans and when Seulgi reaches upwards to tug Sooyoung hot against her mouth, it drives her a little bit insane when she realizes it was from the younger woman.

It’s messy, slick, and she doesn’t let go of her grip on Sooyoung’s hips, encouraging her to grind herself against her tongue.

“Fuck,” Sooyoung hisses, voice pitching high as she drags a hand down to tangle against Seulgi’s hair, a thrill up her spine when Seulgi moves her face to the angle she needs. “Like that, just like that.”

Her orgasm feels so close, building up at the base of her belly and igniting her bones to dance wildly inside of her. Tears in her eyes, Sooyoung chances a look down and she sobs at the way Seulgi’s staring at her, full of heat.

She almost whines when a hand leaves her hips, craving the burn of blunt fingernails digging against her flesh right at the risk of a bruise, and it’s pushed at the back of her throat when Seulgi raises two fingers, a silent command for her to suck on.

Taking it to the second knuckle at the first bob of her head, Sooyoung moans around the calloused fingers prodding at her mouth, sucking lightly as she lets it go with a wet pop.

She feels just one, pressing against her entrance and the pace of her grinding stutters, grip on Seulgi’s hair tightening as a finger stretches her open.

“I didn’t tell you to stop.” Seulgi’s voice is hoarse and Sooyoung moves again after a firm squeeze to her ass.

When another finger slips in, she screams, clenching around curling fingers right against the front wall of her pussy. Her hips stop grinding forward, instead of circling tightly against the flat of Seulgi’s tongue and she explodes.

Seulgi doesn’t stop, not even when Sooyoung starts sobbing while chanting _more more more_. And it’s only when Sooyoung taps out to have enough energy to wring an orgasm from Seulgi does she stop.

Sooyoung sighs, feeling the ache against the inside of her thighs. Seulgi kisses her cheek.

“Hurts?”

“Mm,” Sooyoung feels sluggish, bones heavy after an orgasm. She shoots her girlfriend a grin. “, kiss it better?”

“Even better,” Seulgi snorts, already getting up from the bed, a little weird that she’s still wearing her top, and Sooyoung groans in relief when she hears the medicine cabinet open. She’s holding the lavender oil she got Sooyoung after a trip overseas, a staple for them after sex when one feels sore. Mostly it’s Sooyoung who whines. “I’m gonna massage it better.”

“You’re literally the best.”

“I aim to please.”

They haven’t said the L-word yet despite months of dating and making each other feel good plus the assurance that they're both making each other happy is a good enough substitution for it in the meantime.

Sooyoung kisses her softly, holding still-slick hands from the oil. Seulgi understands, smiling that damned eye-smile and Sooyoung’s only human.

She falls.

And Seulgi falls with her.

**::**

There’s a lull in the ceremony and it’s enough for Sooyoung to lean in Principal Hwang’s space.

“You’re doing this on purpose,” she accuses.

No one can see the smirk tugging at the older woman’s lips, only for Sooyoung to see. “Are you happy?”

Brows furrowing at the obvious deflection, Sooyoung bites. “Yeah,” she follows the flash, looking just in time for Seulgi to bring her camera down for a moment, sending a smile her way. “, she’s doing a good job at it.”

Taeyeon nods. “Good,” she picks off an invisible lint at the front of her blazer. “, it’s worth the money, then.”

Sooyoung shakes her head, watching as the graduation ceremony of her first class continues, Seulgi swimming in between proud parents and excited kids to take photos.

It’s the first of many.

**::**

**the end.**

**::**

[**here’s**](https://twitter.com/mintforRV/status/1332533850979799041?s=20)the twitter post regarding this one!!

thank you to mintforRV for this fic! :D

thank you, stay safe, and have a good one!!!!

**Author's Note:**

> **follow the link/s on my[ twitter ](https://twitter.com/rexwrites/status/1341058168483315712?s=20)for updates and if you want to be my friend! :D **


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